The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas Author Blog Tour
If you are joining me as a part of The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas Blog Tour, I’d like to say “Welcome to Great Peace Academy.” As you may already know, I was privileged to join with 54 other homeschooling moms to write over 100 chapters in what is a treasure trove of homeschool encouragement. It’s like sitting down and exploring the best homeschooling ideas, advice and encouragement on the planet in one complete eBook.
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I want to tell you a bit about the book and why I was thrilled to participate in the creation of such a marvelous homeschooling resource. I was able to write 3 of the 103 chapters and I’m excited to share with you why I chose to write on each of these topics.
My Three Chapters in the Book
- Encouragement for Moms of Gifted Learners
I was that mom. The one who had a child who was quite the enigma. No doubt he was smart, but other people kept insisting that he was more than smart, he was gifted. A word that used to terrify me.
When I started out homeschooling, I had little knowledge of either homeschooling or gifted education. I fumbled around to find some kind of balance for him that never seemed to come. I was stunned in the first year, his Kindergarten year, when he completed a pre-packaged 1st grade curriculum in about 6 weeks, and went on to complete 2nd grade rapidly as well. I didn’t really know what to do.
He had a drive, a hunger to be fed, more. More information, more challenge, more knowledge. So I determined to just do that. He read a lot, explored numbers a lot and drew pictures a lot. Science was fun for him, math was easy for him and information was limitless for him.
As that mom, I found myself trying to learn about his unique needs and coming up short. I struggled to find information that could help me to provide for the needs that my son obviously had. I kept hitting walls because I didn’t really have an understanding for what it was I was looking for and research seemed impossible.
Until I learned the words. Every field of study has it’s own set of terms and once I understood the terms used in gifted education, I became more knowledgeable about the resources available to parents.
When I began to write for The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas, I knew that I needed to share with other parents how to find resources for gifted homeschooling. So their discovery would not be as difficult as mine was.
In the chapter I share with you the research that helped me to begin to understand the unique individual that my son is. I also share a large list of resources for gifted education and direct links within the ebook for accessing the websites associated with each source.
- Encouragement for Homeschool Moms During Job Loss
It’s a scary prospect isn’t it? The idea that a homeschooling family could suddenly find themselves in the midst of unemployment. Most often a homeschooling family consists of one stay at home parent (usually the mom) and one working parent. So when the one income family loses the only source of income it’s unnerving, to say the least.
That’s the exact position I found myself in just a little over 2 years ago. My husband lost his job through no fault of his own. He remained unemployed for two full years and in fact just started his new job about 2 months ago.
As a result I’m able to share information, encouragement and ideas for homeschooling through job loss, from a very personal perspective in my chapter How to Homeschool During Job Loss. I share tips, ideas and resources for finding free materials for a homeschooling education. I also gently offer encouragement during what is a truly difficult life struggle.
Unemployment for any reason is scary. During the homeschooling years it can cause panic. Finding the ability to overcome regardless of the circumstance can lead to a stronger more loving family unit.
- Marriage Encouragement for Homeschool Moms
This is an area of life that I am truly passionate about. Looking around at friends and family I am overwhelmed and saddened by the number of marriages that end in divorce. Having been married to my husband for more than 20 years I’m quite aware of the stresses that can rock the stability of a marriage. My husband and I have been through many difficult and overwhelming trials.
After celebrating my 20th year of marriage knowing we had survived a lot of struggle and yet seeing so many others whose marriages ended. I realized that maybe I could offer encouragement through my blog. So I began writing a feature called Marriage Moment.
When considering topics for The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas I knew that I wanted to write a chapter on marriage. Anytime you put a family into a different dynamic it can be cause for upheaval within the marriage. Homeschooling is no exception. In fact, due to the nature of it, homeschooling can become a tremendous stressor to the marriage. That’s why I wrote the chapter Maintaining a Strong Marriage Through the Homeschool Years.
Learning how to prioritize a loving marital relationship during homeschooling can lead a couple to a stronger more complete marriage. In the chapter I share 5 ways to prioritize marriage through the homeschooling years, so that you will have a strong marriage for years to come.
- Prioritizing Time
- Prioritizing Kisses
- Prioritizing Respect
- Prioritizing Life Roles
- Prioritizing Intimacy
- Encouragement for Every Homeschool Mom
It really is a wonder! The topics found in The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas cover every conceivable homeschooling need, from PreK through high school, special needs, methods, approaches and interest led to encouragement for homeschool moms and the entire family. In The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas, you’ll find a resource that guides, compels, enriches, and revitalizes you in your homeschooling life.
There were so many marvelous topics for the book that we had to break them down into 3 major themes. Then each theme is subdivided by a general topic with multiple chapters per topic.
- Ages & Stages; Preschool, Elementary to Middle, Teens & Beyond
- Learning Resources; History & Geography, Home Ec, Language Arts & Literature, Special Needs, STEM, Engaged Ideas, Enrichment, For Moms, Training Hearts
- Managing Your Life; Budgetary Concerns, Maintaining Your Home, Unique Homeschool Situations
There really is something for everyone, every need, every unique situation that is found in homeschooling. Topics like homeschooling with twins, homeschooling while pregnant, life on a dairy farm, time management, classical education and so much more.
The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas Blog Tour
With the Blog Tour you have a chance to meet and get to know the authors on a more personal level.
Here is how the Blog Tour Works
- Yesterday on the blog tour Jennifer Janes shared her story of why she wrote the Special Needs Homeschooling and 25 Ideas for Ministry and Volunteering in the Community with Kids. Tomorrow, October 19, Adelien Tandian will be sharing her story of how the chapter How to Start Resarch with Your Logic Stage Kids came about.
One thing you can be sure of, you will be encouraged and inspired by this dynamic group of homeschooling mamas. We each have a passion for homeschooling, protecting our families, and strengthening others in our roles as homeschool moms.
I’m curious about the Large Family chapter.
I can see why! Jen Dunlap certainly understandseems that role. You’ll have a lot in common with her Shecki!
Learning with maps 🙂
That is a good one!
budgeting concerns really makes me want to get it because we are always in need to know how to stretch our money.
I understand. There are several chapters regarding budgets.
I’m liking a lot of them, but two stood out to me. Homeschooling Teenage Boys and Homeschooling Boys: 12 & Younger. I have both age groups. 🙂
Oh Boy! Yep you could use those 😉
Hands-On Science
That IS a great chapter!
Parenting a highly-sensitive and spirited child would be the first chapter I would read. It was a hard choice though. 🙂
Hands-on Science. I feel like we spend too much time in “books” for Science and not enough time doing hands-on projects. I’m probably still a little intimidated by projects and experiments because of all the “stuff” you have to have and the time they take. Having 2 kids with learning disabilities, it already takes us longer than usual to get through school each day and I just hesitate to add on more stuff to their day.
Oh, that is a good selection! I’m sure special needs homeschooling does take more time and I can totally see why you would hesitate to add new dimensions, but you never know. This new dimension might just be what ends up making it all a bit easier.
I would probably read the Maintaining Your Home section first, although it all looks great! I am most interested in the “Being a Healthy Homeschool Mom” section. That is something I am trying to work on.
Yes it’s a good one. 🙂